Director, Legal Talent

ABOUT GOWLING WLG

At Gowling WLG, our commitment to excellence begins with our people. As an international law firm with offices in Canada, the U.K., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, we’re proud to recruit and retain top talent who bring energy, insight, and a singular focus on delivering exceptional experiences – for our clients and each other.

We’re intentional about building a workplace that’s both high-performing and supportive, ensuring that everyone is empowered to do their best work and reach their full potential. Our culture is grounded in our shared values:
Raise the Bar, Embrace Differences, and Thrive Together. These values shape how we collaborate, lead, and succeed – across teams, time zones, and career paths.

Whether you’re pursuing a role in law or business services, explore what’s possible and make your mark with Gowling WLG.

At Gowling WLG, our commitment to excellence begins with our people. As an international law firm with offices in Canada, the U.K., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, we’re proud to recruit and retain top talent who bring energy, insight, and a singular focus on delivering exceptional experiences – for our clients and each other.

We’re intentional about building a workplace that’s both high-performing and supportive, ensuring that everyone is empowered to do their best work and reach their full potential. Our culture is grounded in our shared values:
Raise the Bar, Embrace Differences, and Thrive Together. These values shape how we collaborate, lead, and succeed – across teams, time zones, and career paths.

Whether you’re pursuing a role in law or business services, explore what’s possible and make your mark with Gowling WLG.

Director, Legal Talent is a skilled senior professional manager focused on leading the recruitment, development, engagement, retention and career advancement of associates and law students, within the Disputes Department, working in close collaboration with the Department Chair, Practice Group Leaders and Practice Director.

As a member of the Legal Talent shared services team, the Director, Legal Talent implements strategic and talent management initiatives that are aligned to the Firm's Strategic Plan, and our core values. This role collaborates with our other shared services functions (Finance, other People & Culture teams, Business Development & Marketing, Information Technology & AI, Innovation & Knowledge and Operations) to ensure Firm strategies, direction and resources are implemented effectively for legal talent development.

This position is open to candidates across Canada, in any of our Canadian office locations (Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Waterloo, Hamilton, Ottawa, and Montréal), with preference given to candidates based in the Calgary area.

• Implement and manage associate and student focused integration, engagement, retention and career advancement initiatives, including by building relationships with associates and students, monitoring workloads, overseeing the delivery of training programs, providing guidance and career coaching, delivering performance feedback, ensuring appropriate mentorship, etc. (working in collaboration with the work providers, mentors, and others as needed). Provide reports on these areas for Department and Practice Group, as needed.
• Implement and administer career development programs for associates and assist in goal setting and follow up for accountability.
• Implement and administer the Firm's mentorship program for associates.
• Work with Department Chair, Practice Group Leaders and Practice Director, as appropriate to help ensure that associates are on track for success and are meeting or exceeding billable targets.
• Assist as needed with associate meetings, professional secondments, and reporting requirements
• Work closely with the Learning and Development and the AI, Innovation & Knowledge teams to deliver internal learning paths/programs to associates
• Support lateral associate onboarding and integration into the Firm, working collaboratively with Practice Group Leaders and Practice Directors
• Monitor associate…